Dress for Success

“….I am not interested in a girl who walks into my office in a head-to-toe label that’s straight out of a runway. I am interested in a girl who puts herself together in an original independent way” Anna Wintour, Editor Vogue

You are a busy woman. You juggle many roles in a day. The glass ceiling no longer restrains your ambitions! But then, it’s not just about reaching for the sky that, but looking good while doing so, that should matter!

As Anna Wintour says, dressing up is not about blindly aping our bollywood stars, we bring you a comprehensive guide on professional dressing. The idea is to not to distract, but to create an impression of efficiency and capability.

While across the globe, skirts, pant-suits are acceptable forms of corporate dressing for women, in India, kurtas and sarees also feature on the list.

The rule of thumb though remains the same: impeccable tailoring and neatness.

This Women’s Day we round up the most important things to consider while putting together your workwear wardrobe.

Keep it Smart

They say, first impression is the best impression. While you don’t need to make heads turn with your outfit at work, it is essential to dress to command respect. Giving the fuss free western wears a miss, India, with its East-meets-West work culture, has fast adopted the saree as well as salwar-kurta as workwear staples.

Saree vs Salwar Kameez?

Wearing a saree to work on a regular basis is completely acceptable, as long as you feel comfortable in your attire. Avoid heavy silks, embellished net or chiffon sarees and opt for the more demure cotton versions. Make sure the pleats are properly pinned and don’t hinder with your movement around the desk/chair. A more conservative cut of the blouse is appreciated. Younger women can experiment with kurtas and leggings. Avoid short or tight kurtas unless on a weekend. Anarkalis are a big no-no.

Jeans or Skirts?

If you are confident or your workspace requires you to, western wear like comfortable pantsuits, skirts, tailored shirts, scarves and sheaths can be an integral part of your working woman’s wardrobe. A crisp white shirt, tucked into tailored pants, [NOT jeans] can be easily accessorized with a swift silk scarf. Invest wisely in a skirt/pant suit or a blazer. Pick shirts or blouses in cotton or silk and keep them ruffle free and elegant. Remember, pants should break just above the shoe and skirts should fall below the knee line.

For the ones blessed with a more liberal workspace, wear your shirts, blouses or kurtas with jeans but keep the t-shirts away for a office picnic or to walk your dog.